


The Secret Book

by GaiaSophia



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2020-05-12 09:21:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19226251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaiaSophia/pseuds/GaiaSophia
Summary: The reader is an author who just wants to spend her days writing. However, her trusted friend Sidon often comes to talk. Normally, it shouldn't be a problem. Except that the main character of your series is based off of the prince himself.





	1. Blue Weeds

**Author's Note:**

> Since most of my other stories focuses on adult themes, I wanted to try my hand at something sweeter. I hope you like it.

The river’s water was as crystal clear as ever. Its blue emulated the glittering sapphires you could find in any Gerudo shop. Its temperature was just as sweet. Your sore feet were instantly soothed and refreshed as soon as they dipped into the river’s bliss.

 

The dock itself was nothing special, though. It was made of some wood that has been weathered smooth, turned dark by time. Still, it was dry and kept you above water until your company came.

 

Your eyes wandered behind you towards your cottage. It wasn’t anything special either. Yet, it wasn’t run down or extremely cramped. Your humble abode was firm and had enough space for you to live and your writing desk to work. ‘Dainty’ is the word that could best describe it. Especially with all of the flowers outside.

 

You sighed at that. The Silent Princess flowers have nearly taken over your poor Cool Safflina. It is hard to imagine such a time where seeing a blue and white bloom was a rarity. Now they are more like… weeds.

 

“Well that isn’t a pleasant face.”

 

You turned around to see a red head poking out of the water. His two yellow eyes glistened at you expectantly. Turning your face to a more pleasant smile, you greeted him. “It’s good to see you, Prince Sidon.”

 

Though, his eyes dimmed a little as he appeared to shrink before you. “You _can_ just refer to me as Sidon. We’ve more than had enough time for formalities.”

 

You shook your head. “It’s not proper to address a prince with any less than what he is.”

 

Seeing as though he couldn’t get through to you, he turned his attention back to the previously stared at spot. “I think it’s wonderful to see the Silent Princess so abundant. Your lawn has become a favorite spot of theirs.”

 

You rolled your eyes at his comment. “They are choking my poor Cool Safflina flowers. An epidemic is what they are becoming.”

 

The prince swam up to the dock and rested his arms on the wood. Water dripped off his fins and arms. Those crystal drops called out to you to just...stare. Only the prince’s voice redirected your eyes. “They say that Silent Princess flowers grow where magic is dense. Don’t tell me you’re a fairy.”

 

You shook your head and blushed. “I’m not pretty enough to be a fairy,” you confessed.

 

“Why do you do that?”

 

You blinked and looked over to the frowning Zora. “W...what?”

 

Sidon pushed himself along the dock to be in front of you, looking up. His face was full of disbelief and disappointment. Pins pricked guilt into your heartstrings. Had you offended him in some way? “You are beautiful, (Y/N). I’m not a Hylian, but I know beauty when I see it.” A blush laid itself across your cheeks. “I can’t let my friend think that way.”

 

One word in that sentence snapped a bit of sense back into your swirling torrent of emotions. “A...alright.” A simple word that carried the burden of moving on to something more pleasant.

 

The prince’s eyes softened once more. “(Y/N), the children in the Domain mentioned something about a crown of flowers. Apparently, one of the merchants showed them one and the little ones can’t stop talking about it. Would you...would you be so kind as to show me how to make them?”

 

A small smile came to your face. “So you can look cool, my prince?”

 

Now it was the crowned prince’s turn to blush. “W...well a prince must be knowledgeable in all things! You would be doing me and subsequently the Domain a great favor!” Every time Prince Sidon got like this, he became...insistent? But, it was in an adorable way. Like how a puppy will shove its toy into your leg when it wants to play. Insistent...but cute.

 

With a small chuckle you pushed yourself from your seating position. You began walking along the smooth boards towards your Silent Princess infested lawn. The prince lifted himself out of the water as well to follow. But, you did sneak a peak or two to catch the water dripping off. A harmless crush is all it was.

 

You refocused to the flowers. Kneeling down, you began plucking flower after flower and putting them in the crux of your arm. Just by picking a few, you soon realized how many there really were. An infestation indeed.

 

The prince observed you for a tick and then joined you on your retrieval of materials. You soon realized that you didn’t have to work as hard. The prince would pick up two or three flowers at a time with his large hands. By the time you picked one flower, he picked five to eight! Though, it might be because of his enthusiasm in this task. The Zora was grinning like a fool and would might as well be dancing like one. You couldn’t help but let out a giggle or two. “For a prince, I’m surprised you’re this keen on manual labor.”

 

Prince Sidon looked over at you and smiled his fool smile. “I am very capable in all things, (Y/N). Even ‘normal’ things. Well, as you like to call them.”

 

That teasing bone in your body began to tingle. “Oh really, what sort of things is the grand Prince of the Zora capable of?”

 

The prince lifted his head to make himself appear more haughty than normal. “Well, I do enjoy a good book from time to time.”

 

Your eyes could have rolled out of your head! “Reading tedious volumes of Zora history is _not_ a normal thing to do, Prince Sidon.”

 

He stood up and began admiring his recent acquisition of flowers. “I do read other books, you know. There is one I am reading right now that is quite popular with the common folk. _Tales of Prince Rilo_ -”

 

You began a coughing fit as air seemed to catch in your throat. Your hands snapped to your mouth to keep the embarrassment to a minimum. The prince immediately dropped his flowers and rushed to your side. “My lady…(Y/N) are you alright? Do you have allergies? Oh, I am so sorry to trouble you in my selfish quest to impress children! Do forgive me…”

 

You shook your head in disagreement. “N...no. I just got something caught in my throat. I...I think we have enough. Why don’t we sit down and I can teach you how to make these...” You held the blossoms tight to your beating chest. The flowers nearly wilted at the fiery heat your body was radiating. Goddess, your cheeks probably could keep a family warm for the whole winter! Out of all the books he could be reading…

 

...why did it have to be yours?

 

Your butt hit the grass hard as you flopped down. The prince leaned down and gracefully sat beside you. “(Y/N)...If I did something wrong, please tell me. I meant no offence for...well...whatever I did to upset you.”

 

You adamantly shook your head, sending your hair flying. “N..No not at all! I simply coughed and got really warm for a second.” Unconsciously, you touched your red cheeks to feel for yourself the depth of embarrassment harbored within them. Making flower crowns shouldn’t lead to such a depressing encounter. “So, how you do these is you take two flowers. Now you wrap one flower around the other one.” You looked over to the prince who tried to follow your instructions the best he could. However, he never accounted for his...large stature. The small flowers slipped between his clawed fingers and onto the ground where he would pick them up, try it again, and end up with the same result. The poor fish.

 

You brought your hands up to his own and fumbled around with gripping the stems of the flowers. Slowly, your heart began to settle from the previous revelation. Now, the air seemed to be of the same kind you were used to. His red fingers desperately tried to twist the flowers around each other. Each time they slipped and the flower would fall until you placed it back between his fingers. The prince sighed. “I guess I am too large to do this…”

 

You looked at the poorly knit chain of flowers. The petals were crushed and the stems were all but broken. Prince Sidon took it from your guiding fingers and tossed it into the river. Your hand shot out in a feign attempt to save it. The chain floated for a second before it was sucked under the current. It was never coming back into your hand. Or above water, for that matter. A piece of you sunk with it. The prince was never one to just give up on something. Was something wrong? Scratch that...ever since he mentioned his reading hobby, there was tension.

 

“I do think I bothered you enough for one day. Please, excuse me.” The prince bowed, making his grand feather dip with him, and proceeded to the river.

 

You sighed as he jumped above the clear water. With a small splash, the blurry red spot moved upstream towards the Domain. After a minute or two, you picked yourself up from the grass. The piles of Silent Princess now laid at your feet, unused.


	2. Flower Crowns

You dipped your quill into the glass pot of ink. Although, you couldn’t tell that it was glass by this point. Over the years the ink dribbles slowly covered the cut glass, drying it into a messy blob of black and caught dust. If only this job would pay better, then you could afford a new one. Maybe even one of those sapphire ones. It would be larger too so you didn’t have to keep making fresh ink. There were even ones that had a matching glass topper instead of a cork. But, the cork you had was one that was left over from a bottle of wine the prince and you shared.

 

Which one was more precious? 

 

You smiled as memories filled your head of lovely talks by the riverbed. They were pleasant and rich conversations. Completely contrary to the events of yesterday. A small howl of the wind finally pulled you from your running thoughts. Of course, the next book was due soon and you needed to focus. 

 

But now that thought led to others. Prince Sidon...the PRINCE of the Zora was now reading your series. There was no way he could have caught on to whom the main character was modeled after...right? For years you used him as a catalyst to create stories and put them on paper. If he found out, it would be the end for you. There would be no way to face the embarrassment. 

 

_ Come on, come on (Y/N)....you need to focus. _ You inhaled air, held it, and released into a new feeling of determination. Grabbing your quill, you began again.

 

> Prince Rilos continued to climb up the mountain, despite the rain. The proud prince was not to be trifled with. Even if his opponent is a force of nature. His determination was finally rewarded with the first glimpse of the peak. And what a sight it was, for there in the pouring rain was the Tri-horned Lynel. Its red eyes slowly turned to take vision of the smaller Hylian prince. With a mighty roar, the beast flashed his heavy sword at Prince Rilos. Though, could such a thing even be called a sword? It’s broad axe-like shape melded into a sword handle. If the prince could put his head next to it, the sword would dwarf him like a child. Prince Rilos didn’t have any intention of testing it with that measurement. 
> 
> The prince pulled out his own meager weapon. Upon inspection, the Lynel appeared to grin at his choice of weaponry. Being a hot-headed creature, it looked down upon anyone smaller than itself. And Prince Rilos was going to use this to his advantage. He-

  
  


“Oh crap!” The tipped over inkwell was generously washing ink onto the papers. You quickly snatched them away as the ink began to soak into the parchment, blacking out your words. “I’m so clumsy! It didn’t damage it too much, right?” Luckily, only a corner really felt the brunt of the flood. You quickly rushed outside to let the breeze dry out the mistake. “Maybe getting a bigger inkwell isn’t the best idea...second time this week, really?” You found the hangers for the clothing line. Nowadays, they simply double as page hangers. A few dry ink spots dotted them from previous use. From far away, they look like a Spotted Flapper sitting on the clothesline. “I wonder if the birds mistake them for kin. That would be a sad story. A small bird falling in love with a clothespin…”

 

Once the last of the pages were hung up to dry, you sat down in your blue-infested lawn. There was no way you could leave your prized thoughts out here alone. There were so many dangers! Birds, rain, and not to mention the travelers that pass by on the path by the river! There was no way you were going to allow your next book to have rumors flying around it before publication.

 

To pass the time, you reached for one of the blue weeds and plucked it. Then, you did the same to another one. You twisted the stems around each other before grabbing a third flower. The repeated practice helped your boredom and focused your thoughts…  _ I could have him trick the Lynel into running off the cliff. Have him taunt the beast until he gets angry and charges. Rilos is fast enough...he can dodge to the side. Or should I have him get in a fair fight? No, that’s too against his character development. _ You finished off the crown and placed it on your head. The thoughts were too good to cut off tough, so you started a second crown.  _ He could use a fire arrow to light the grass on fire. Oh wait, it is raining. Shock arrows maybe? _

 

“Hello, my fairy.” 

_ Fairies come to save the day- _ You snapped your head up as the red price began to walk over to you. “I knew you would look just like a fairy in one of those!” Your heart beat too fast in your chest, as you stood up. Your vision then flashed a storm of black and white. “Woah, (Y/N) are you feeling alright?”

 

You finally got a hold of your body. “Y...yes. I’m fine. I stood up too fast.”  _ Please don’t look up… _

 

And he did. “Ah, I see you are doing the Hylian tradition of laundry! But, those are not clothes now that I look at them closer.” 

 

You pushed at his leg with what strength you could muster. “P...please don’t look! It’s private!” A blush came to the prince’s cheeks which quickly faded and was replaced with a smile. “Is it a love letter?” He teased. You looked up to his golden eyes with your pitiful ones. “S...something like that.” The prince took a step back and turned around, facing the river. “I won’t peak (Y/N). Go and retrieve your letters of affection.”

 

You quickly took him up on his offer and snatched the papers from the line, ran inside,  _ shoved _ them in your desk, and ran back out.

 

Upon hearing the sound of frantic footsteps, the prince chuckled. “Finished with your task?” You pouted. “It is rude to tease someone about what they write, my prince.” With a sigh, and not from your scolding, the prince turned around to face you. “And still you address me formally. Even though I am a naughty boy who looked at your love letter, you still call me by my title.” 

 

Tears were brought to your eyes. “Y...you  _ saw _ !” The act put up by the prince was dropped and shattered at the sight of your tears. “(Y/N), I would never peak into your privacy like that. I simply saw the papers and assumed what it was. Never was this teasing meant to hurt you or cause you stress. Please, forgive me. Goddess, I...I have done nothing but hurt you since yesterday.” Prince Sidon kept his eyes downcast at the discarded chain you made. “It is bad luck to offend a fairy,” he whispered. He bent his knee to reach you a little more on your own level. “I’m sorry.” His eyes glittered with regret and sadness that made a few teardrops fall from your own eyes. Quickly wiping them away, you smiled at your prince. “I forgive you, my prince.”

 

Prince Sidon clutched at his heart and fell backwards onto the grass. “And she still wounds me!” You chuckled and rolled your eyes. Grabbing a fistful of flowers, you then laid them on his chest. “Here lies Prince Sidon of the Zora. Crowned Prince of the Zora, slayer of the giant Octorok, and-”

 

“-slowly dying from my titles passing through your lips. The only thing that can save me is my first name.” His eyes still stayed closed, but a smile ran across his face. You picked one more flower and laid it on his chest. “May he rest in peace.” The prince opened his eyes and frowned at you. A cheeky smile is what you gave him in return. “The grand-” you leaned in slightly- “prince-” a bit further into his space- “of the Zora.”

 

Suddenly, you felt two hands around your midsection that hoisted you up into the air. “And he lives by some miracle!” He swung you around and then set you back in a similar spot to where you gave your eulogy. “Must be a fairy’s magic.” Once he let you go, you stumbled around while the rest of the world kept spinning. You took a tumble in the field of flowers. One nice thing about the accursed weeds was that they made an excellent cushion for landing. The prince laid down next to you on the ground, placing an arm behind his head so his tail didn’t bend at an uncomfortable angle. “That whole thing reminded me of the book I’m reading where the prince is saved by a small pink fairy. It truly is a pleasure to read. I could lend you the first two books sometime.”

 

Adrenaline surged through your veins. Thankfully, he was staring at the clouds above. If he were to see your face, well, all that trouble with the pages were for nothing. “S...sure. I would love to.” Hopefully that was a sufficient enough answer.

 

“The prince in the story is so smart and quick witted. Battling monsters without need for sheer strength. Plus, he is so brave to risk himself for the people of Village Heights. If I could be him, I would have nothing to worry about.” Sidon turned his head to look at your blushing face. “Are you sure you don’t have allergies?”

 

“N...No! I’m just...This prince sounds really cool.” 

 

Prince Sidon smiled. “Maybe I shouldn’t give you a copy. I can’t have you devoting yourself to a fictional prince. Though, by those letters there is already someone else competing for your time.” He gave you an amused smile to dig his words deep into your psyche.

 

You desperately were trying to avoid such a topic. Surely he would have noticed all the stolen glances and amorous looks you showered upon him. And yet, he always gave no indication of noticing anything of the sort.  _ Think… _ “W..well there is. It is private though…”  _ Just a bit...I’m not giving him too much information. _ However, the reaction the prince gave you was...unexpected?

 

Prince Sidon’s eyes widened as his mouth dropped. It mimicked the signs of disappointed shock. Or, was it a genuine shock? He avoided your questioning look and took more interest in the Silent Princess next to him. He pressed the delicate petal between his two fingers until a divot formed. You blinked a few times to see if you were seeing him correctly. Was he...mad? 

 

“D...did I say something that upset you?” You leaned in slightly, emphasizing how you didn’t intend any ill will.

 

His eyes flashed back to your own. “N...no! Of course not! I...I...I was just not expecting that answer. After all, you are almost always here when I stop by and...well...I’m surprised I’ve never seen you with......someone that has claimed your affection.” He turned back to the petal he nearly crushed and began to play with it once more. The flower now began to weep blue juices onto the prince’s finger. 

 

_ I need to save this conversation before I lose him forever… _ “My prince, I’m surprised you come so often, anyway. Don’t tell me you are getting out of your royal duties again.”

 

The prince smiled at the flower. “Maybe…” His voice ran deep and smoothed it out like butter. It was the prince’s usual tactic for when he wants to keep his real reasons a secret. You gave him ‘the look’ which meant for him to tell you what was really going on. The prince sighed and settled back onto his arm, allowing for the flower to recover from the abuse of the pinches. “I may have, and I’m not saying I did, avoid a meeting about trade.” 

 

“You are a naughty boy, my prince.” 

 

He smiled at your teasing and rolled over onto his stomach. Placing his hands under his chin, he looked up at you innocently. “First I look at your letters and then avoided a meeting. I guess I’m not vary princely.”

 

You smirked at him. “I’m still calling you by your title, Prince Sidon. No matter how naughty you are.”


	3. Misunderstandings

“And you are all done sweetie!”

 

You looked at the mirror on the wall and smiled. It has been a while since you got your hair cut. Feeling the fresh ends of your hair gave you a feeling of pure happiness. No more split ends for you!

 

Reaching into your pocket, you pulled out a red rupee to pay the hairstylist. She was always worth the extra rupees. The quality of work was unmatched compared with any other in the area. You felt your hair and flounced it a bit. _I look good._

 

You stepped out into the village square and sighed. The sun was high above, gleaming a gentle warmth on the earth. The wind was not too strong either! Just a gentle breeze that caresses the leaves, making them flutter slightly on the trees. The sound of Hylians bustling and running about was a welcome sound to someone who lived a fair distance away. Though, it did provide you with some anxiety. Quickly, you scurried towards the edge of town with your new haircut and a fresh bottle of ink you purchased before your appointment.

 

With the sounds fading away, a sense of calm washed away the adrenaline. Crowds were never a friendly setting for you. Too many sounds, too many people...just too many everything. In moderation you can handle it, but if you were in that sea for too long… Well, tears and the need to pass out would overtake you.

  
  
  


The sun now hung halfway between the direct above and the horizon. Your sweet and warm cottage welcomed you after such a long walk. Now, it was time for a nice cup of tea and then onto cooking dinner-

 

“(Y/N)! Hylia above!”

 

Sidon shot out of the water and ran over to you. He knelt down, eyes frantically looking over you. The roots of your hair were then tickled by the prince’s fingers caressing the back of your head. “Who did this? Who hurt you?” Now baring his teeth, you were feeling scared for the hairdresser. You thought you looked good! Was the haircut really that bad?

 

“I...I got my hair cut…” was all you could say under the intense gaze from the prince.

 

But that gaze soon turned into pity. “You...did this to yourself? Hylia, (Y/N) don’t tell me it was because of me…”

 

You shook your head. “No, I needed to get it cut. The ends where-” The prince took his other hand and grabbed the back of your waist. Then, you were pressed against his chest. His strong heartbeat made your own flutter. The smoothness of his chest hid the well defined muscles underneath only slightly. Never in your life have you ever been held like this by a man. One hand in your hair, the other against the small of your back... _Hylia…_

 

His throat trembled. “You need to value yourself more. If it wasn’t because of me then...then...then is it the one who holds your affection?” His voice cracked, like his words were breaking before you. “I can’t allow this! I won’t let him hurt you. I won’t let you hurt yourself over him!”

 

 _Hurt?_ You pushed against his chest to give you enough space to look into his eyes. “My prince, what are talking about? Hurt? What part of me is hurt?” _Maybe my pride after all this…_

 

Confusion passed though his eyes. “Y...your hair.”

 

That is when the clouds parted. Hylia herself came down and handed you your answer on a golden plate decorated with the Silent Princess. “My prince, Hylians regularly cut their hair. It keeps growing out until you cut it.” The prince’s face twisted in pure horror. “I can’t feel it! Really, I can’t feel a thing. It isn’t like a headtail. Here…” You took the hand placed on your head and took his thumb and index finger. You placed a few strands of hair in between them and rested them together. “Go ahead and squeeze as hard as you can.” The prince was hesitant. Though, with some encouragement he fulfilled your request. Carefully, though. At first it was light, enough to only observe slight discomfort. With each level of pressure he put between his fingers, the more (to his surprise) he was convinced that you indeed did not feel anything.

 

“Amazing.” The prince went to pull away, but your hair caught on his claw.

 

“Ouch!” you yipped. A hailstorm of confused apologies and worries rained down on you. The poor Zora felt so bad. “N..no. It was from the tugging. You just can’t tug on the hair. I promise you that I felt no pain from you squeezing my hair or when I got it cut.”

 

The prince gave a sad half smile. “Are you sure you are alright?”

 

You nodded your head to his statement. “Of course. But tell me, are you skipping out on another meeting.” The avoiding gaze and twiddling of fingers answered your question completely. You sighed at his actions. “Alright, my prince, why don’t you come inside and have some tea.” Prince Sidon perked up at your offer. _Now he’s back to his usual spunky self._ You smiled at him and ushered him into your small cottage.

 

The prince had to duck low, but he made it inside. He took his usual cushioned chair and sat at the table while you began prepping the teapot. You began to pour the water out of the small bucket. However, the water did not pour. You tilted the bucket back up and looked inside.

 

“YA HA HA!” A small tan...thing with a leaf for a face jumped out of the bucket. It landed on the kitchen counter and jumped out the open window.

 

“Get back here!” you yelled after the running leaf. Your fist hit the wood of the counter in anger. “Oh those tree children make me so mad! They always pull pranks on me. Second time this week...errrrrrr!” You blushed when you remember whose company you had. The slow turn to face him was painful. But, the sight was unexpected.

 

The prince held a hand in front of his mouth and chuckled behind it. “I’m...I’m terribly sorry...hehhe...but that was quite humorous.” You relaxed in front of him and placed a hand on your hip. “If you like them so much, _please_ take them home with you.” A sigh left your lips as the bucket came into your vision. “So much for tea. It made sure to drink every last drop.”

 

The prince’s hand pushed the bucked towards him until all ten of his webbed fingers clasped around it. “If I may, I would like to replenish this for you.” You smiled. The prince was always so kind. Even if he was a guest, he would always insist on helping you with the smallest of tasks. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble,” you replied.

 

Prince Sidon ducked down and out of your house. Gosh he is so tall. That little feather atop his head added even more height. You turned back and pulled out two cups. One big and one that was much, much smaller. The prince has been over so many times that he ‘gifted’ you a Zora teacup. Though, you only use it for his visits. The first time you made him tea, the prince downed it in a single gulp. Gosh, your blush was probably hotter the tea that day.

 

You picked up the tin of tea leaves that adorned your window sill. Armoranth tea was his favorite. He was a prince, after all. Fancy is as fancy does and that tea is FANCY. Each tin was nearly a quarter of your last book royalties. Maybe you could convince him to buy the next one. Guest or not...you needed to eat too. So, it was probably not a good idea to just leave it on the window sill where anyone could see.  _Good one Miss (Y/N). Get you are going to get yourself robbed._  

 

You placed a spoonful in your teacup strainer. As for the prince’s...one, two, three, four, five, goddess this is expensive…

 

The prince came back through the door with the bucket in hand. “Here you are. Tree free, I promise.” You chuckled at his joke and took the bucket from him. With all your strength, you poured the water into your tea kettle. It was another gift from the prince. A much larger, almost restaurant-like tea kettle to accompany the prince’s large teacup. You started up the fire underneath in the stove. Since it was warm today, you didn’t want to start the oven too soon.

 

You sat across from the prince at the table. “So, how is you fancy life, my prince?”

 

He sighed and gave you a half smile. “I keep telling you that just because it is fancy, doesn't mean that it is easy. To be honest, I would rather have your quaint life here. Being the heir to the throne...is a lot of pressure. Oh, sorry. I’m rambling…” You shook your head in response. “Not at all,” you begun. “If you feel stressed, you feel stressed. Nothing wrong with that...no matter how fancy you are.”

 

The prince chuckled at your little punch. “Well, I enjoy your non-fancy life. That’s probably why I enjoy your company so much. You make me feel...normal.”

 

Oh, now you got why he gets so upset. “Is that why you want me to call you by your first name?” The prince gave a sad smile and the smallest of nods. Well, now you just felt like a jerk. Just ‘Sidon’ huh? You were about to speak the name before the kettle whistled.

 

You quickly stood up and grabbed the tea pot. Using all your strength, you lifted the teapot. “(Y/N), please.” A hand reached over you and took the teapot from your grasp. “I understand you are an independent woman. But please, I would feel terrible if you would hurt yourself over tea.” You blushed and let the prince continue pouring the boiling water into the teacups. “There, now you may have your tea.” You smiled and took your Hylian-sized cup.

 

“How valiant, the prince helping out a common girl like me.” You chuckled until you remembered the previous conversation. Jabs like that just came out so naturally. Have they...hurt him this whole time? “I...I’m sorry.”

 

The prince tilted his head to the side as he sat down. “For what?” You blushed at his reaction. “W...well we were just talking about how you want to be treated as normal here.” You plucked the cup off its saucer and brought it to your lips. A shutter ran down you as the heat began to smart your tongue. “(Y/N)! Please, for the love of Hylia stop all this worry about offending me.” The prince brought his fingers to your lips. You opened your mouth, allowing him in. This wasn’t the first time he has healed you for a quick tea-burn. Still, it was embarrassing whenever he felt the need to. The Zora said he reads...has he ever read a raunchy Hylian romance novel? Your cheeks burned at those thoughts. If anyone were to peek in right now...

 

“All done!” The prince removed his fingers from your mouth. “Please do wait until the tea is the appropriate temperature.” You covered your mouth with your hand as the blush danced at full blaze across your cheeks. _Now is the time…_ “Thank you, Sidon.”

 

The prince’s mouth dropped as he blinked a few times. You avoided eye contact for a few seconds before coming back to his eyes. Sidon smiled deeply. “Of course.” Those golden eyes of his were going to make you melt. He always found a way to show his adoration of you. Whether it is with words...or looks.

 

“We better drink this tea before it goes cold.”


	4. Poems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do apologize for being 2 months. Between my vacation and getting sick, I haven't had much time to do anything that requires extreme thought.

Drip, drip, drip.

 

You watched the ink drop from your pen onto the paper below. Unfortunately, ideas for the continuation of this book was...hard to come by. Maybe that was too kind. Really, it was impossible. The prince was to return home after his last journey. It was nearly the end of this book and yet...you didn’t know how to end it. 

 

Prince Rilos could just be received by his countrymen. Coming in on his trusty steed and waving his way to the palace. But, that was the ending to the last book. He could….he could…

 

No ideas were flowing. None, not one idea was coming to your empty shell of a head. The breeze flowed in through your open window. Its curls of air kissed your face and made you sigh. There was no point in being a writer if there was nothing to write about. You tapped the point of your now dry quill on the bottom of the paper. “Maybe I should just give up.”

 

“Trouble with your lover?”

 

Sidon’s voice made you jump. The Zora propped his arms on the windowsill. He gave you two little bats of his eyes before sticking his head further into the cottage. You immediately covered the pages with your arms to keep him from reading. Sidon made a small pout in response. “I have always been curious about what you write on those pages.”

 

Your cheeks lit up. “I told you it was private. Stop being such a naughty little boy peeking in on a woman’s private life.”

 

Sidon chuckled in response. “No, no. I meant your prose, how you write and what you end with.” You slumped a little at his last curiosity. The man meant no harm, you knew that. But, unbeknownst to him, it was eating away at you. Endings...it is always about the endings. Sidon’s yellow eyes flashed in concern, then softened. “I mean...if it is not too much trouble, of course, is...would you write  _ me _ something?”

 

You raised an eyebrow at his request. “You can have anyone in your palace write you beautiful poems.” The prince tilted his head and smiled. “Well, it still wouldn’t be  _ your _ writing. Or are you telling me a simple poem is too much of a challenge?” With a huff of air, you placed the papers face down onto a table next to your desk. Grabbing a fresh sheet, dipping your quill, and sitting up straight, you proceeded to indulge your prince in writing-

 

I ThInk You’Re NeAT!

 

You handed the still wet paper to the leaning prince. Sidon took it lacklusterly and gave you a fake smile. “I think you are most interesting as well.” His haughty and fancy words lifted off of his tongue with such grace that suddenly you were debating on whether it really was appropriate to tease  _ The Prince of the Zora _ . That worry quickly dissipated once he receded from the window and held the paper up to the sky. “A true treasure from my dearest friend. Oh, how her lover will quiver knowing that she thinks I’m neat.” He turned back around to you and smiled. It was infectious as one began to grace your mouth.

 

“He’s not my lover, my prince.” 

 

His mouth turned down, but couldn’t help smiling just a bit. A mix of emotions passed through him. “My prince?” he asked. You smiled sweetly at him and chuckled just a bit. “Sidon…” you corrected. Now his smile was bigger than ever. He wandered back over to your little window and leaned against its ledge once more. “So, not a lover quite yet. Simply exchanging romantic gazes and words of the flirtatious nature?” 

 

You gave him a look before standing up. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” The floorboards creaked with each step into the house and each step out. From the wood of the floor to your blue-infested lawn, you now stood in the shadow of the large, red Zora. Normally this wouldn’t happen, but the man was slightly leaning over you. You knew this stance well. Sidon only does it when he wants to know something. The height advantage really was something. Subconsciously, it made him more intimidating, more commanding.

 

But, this was one thing you  _ couldn’t _ bend to. The silence dragged on between you. Both parties waiting patiently for the other to crack. Thankfully, the prince had a short attention span. He rose up to his normal height. Now, he began his predator mannerisms. The Zora slowly began to walk in a circle around you. “Is he handsome?” he asked. An amused puff of air escaped your mouth. “You could say that.” “Ah, but how would I know? Do I know him?” You smiled at his prodding. “Maybe. Though, I cannot keep up with the amount of relations that you have. You could have crossed paths. Or, you simply have never seen him the way I do.”

 

Sidon completed one rotation around you. “I sure would like to meet him. If he has caught the attention of my beautiful fairy, then he must be quite the man.” You chuckled as he continued his stalking. Watching him with your eyes, you decided to indulge him, “Yes, he is quite the gentleman.” The frequency of his steps increased.

 

Then, he stopped directly in front of you. “Does he have scales?” Sidon smiled eagerly. You placed one hand on your hip. “In regards to the contents of the parchment, no.” The prince’s energy faltered slightly. His eyes searched yours for any sign of trickery. When he saw none, he smiled gently and turned around. “I won’t press you further. After all, there is still plenty of time in the day.”

 

“Another day off?” you questioned. You doubt it was an authentic ‘day off’ as the prince liked to claim. Lately, they have been more common. More often than not, the red Zora would show up at your door wanting to talk late into the night. 

 

You smiled as the memories of those late night talks began to fill your mind. Yet, the last time it ended with a certain Zora captain coming to collect his prince when the moon rose too high above the horizon. “Don’t tell me I’m going to be hosting two Zoras tonight.” Sidon chuckled at that last part.

 

“I don’t think I can bring myself to share you with Bazz again. He is...a lively talker about my more...embarrassing encounters.” You chuckled at his slightly pink cheeks. Bazz was a fine Zora, really. His levelheadedness was a distinct difference from Sidon’s more frivolous behavior. And boy, did Bazz talk about that frivolousness the when he was here. The prince turned completely red from embarrassment. The story about the young prince trying to command fish had you laughing till the sun shone. “ _ Just because he was a prince, he thought everything obeyed his command, _ ” Bazz teased.

 

The prince once again faced you. “What are we going to do today?” 

 

You brought your hand to your chin to think. Last time he was here you served him tea. Another chat perhaps? No, no, then you would be returning to the subject of your papers again. Flower crowns? No, you had enough of staring at blue. Blue sky, blue river, and a blue front lawn. You looked back to the prince. “I have no idea, to be honest.”

 

Sidon shifted his stance and smiled. “Well then, how about something more...classy?” You cocked your head in slight confusion as to what he was referring to. The prince leaned down to your level. “As much as I enjoy this treasure that you gave me-” he held up the note- “I do wish to see one written in a more proper time frame. What do you say?”

 

You smiled coyly at your friend. “Is this a challenge?” The Zora shrugged and continued to wave the paper, taunting you. With a sly smile, you nodded. “Alright then. I will go get us some quills and parchment.” With one more look, you turned and moved back into the house. In your desk you pulled out a small quill and larger, more fancy one. Sidon “gifted” this to you a few months prior. Though, it has never been used. A small smile tugged at your lips. “When did you begin to plan this scheme, Prince Sidon?” you whispered to yourself.

 

With the bundle of supplies in your arms, you exited through the doorway and knelt by the sitting Zora. You carefully placed the instruments down onto the grass, as not to spill the ink (again). “So, Sidon, what are the parameters of this? Is it poetry, a letter, short story…?” You trailed off your sentence to gauge the prince’s interest. He placed a hand to his chin and hummed deep. “I think poetry would be a grand task to undertake. Like they say, poetry opens up even the tightest of clams.”

 

_ Is that a Zora saying or did he just make that up? _ The prince never ceased to amaze you when proudly showing off his fancy words. You shifted your position to be able to write in the grass. Thankfully, the lack of a breeze allowed your paper to stay exactly where you wanted it. Something finally went right today. Score one for team (Y/N). You dipped your quill in the ink and placed it on the paper.

 

And kept it there.

 

_ Oh...that’s right...I suck at poems… _ Your wide eyes yanked to Sidon. The sight and sound of quill on paper had you sweating.  _ He’s writing a lot. _ The prince fluidly wrote line after line on his parchment. You snapped your eyes down to your own paper.  _ Think! Think! You’re running out of time! He’s almost- _

 

“Done,” Sidon gleamed. “I’ll just wait a few seconds for the ink to dry and then we can share them. Oh, wait. I just thought of another line...or two.”

 

Your focus returned to the dry ink spot on the paper.  _ Just pick something! _ You looked in the surrounding area. It was just all so blue! 

 

_ Wait… _

 

_ That’s it! _

 

Fiercely you scribbled down your thoughts. Your handwriting suffered a bit, sure. However, the words just flowed through your mind and onto the paper. It was a melting glacier to a river, a cloud to rain. A grand smile ran across your face as the confidence welled in your chest. Yes...you were going to win this battle of words against the almighty fluffer of speech! 

 

The quill was set down, and you beamed up at the prince. “I’m done too.” Sidon smiled and nodded. You held onto that confidence like a lifeline. Sidon always had a way of unraveling you. Princely charm, you guessed. “W...who would you like to go first?” you managed to stumble out. Sidon held up his paper. “Well, since my ink is dry and not...dripping onto the grass, I can go first.” 

 

You looked down at the puddle in front of you. So much for that confidence. When did you even begin to tip the sheet?  _ Of course… _   Now those words were dragged down to the bottom of the paper. Slaughtered the words and slaughtered your chance at reading this poem even half-decently. Sidon merely chuckled at your flustered face. With a cough he began:

  
  


Golden light cast upon my place of dreams

 

So that clouds will never appear

 

My heart rests in fragile petals wrapped around sharpness

 

Lifted above woes

 

Safe above worry

  
  


Sidon brought his paper back down onto the grass. You hollowly looked at his brilliant penmanship and words written with such grace. How could you even speak after that? It was as if his words wrapped you in arms and tossed you into the clouds. They were filled with such soft emotion. Sidon waved his hand in front of you. “(Y/N)...are you alright?” You blinked a few times before coming back to reality.

 

“O..Oh yes. That...that was wonderful. I kind of feel embarrassed to share mine. It’s not nearly as beautiful as yours.” Sidon sighed slightly. He took the sheet and squeezed it together so that it made a ball. That crumpled piece of paper was tossed over his shoulder. With a jaded edge, he looked towards the river...away from you. Personally, you didn’t know what to make of this. In the time that you have known the prince, not once has he acted...unpleasant. You walked on your knees over to him. This was enough to get the Zora to look at you. Frustration and anger glittered in his eyes. “Sidon, what did I do to upset you?” That look of anger turned to shock, then pity.

 

“Oh, no, no my fairy. You didn’t do anything wrong...I...I just lost my temper.” The prince sighed and took your hand into his own. “Sometimes...A lot of the time, other Zora won’t even attempt to do something I just did, because...well...they never think they are enough for me.” You gave the man a pitiful smile in return. “If I didn’t think I was enough for you, I wouldn’t even let you near my blue infested lawn, let alone into my house to serve you tea.” You placed your other hand on top of his. It was a comfortable understanding. Your fingers felt the hard yet smooth scales covering his hand as the prince gave yours a gentle squeeze.

 

“Oh my, am I interrupting something?” 

 

You had to duck to avoid the tail of the prince. Getting hit once by that was enough...had a large headache the week following. You leaned around the prince’s large body to look towards the river. There, a black and white Zora bobbed in the water. “I do sincerely apologize Miss (Y/N), but the Domain is missing a certain red prince who skipped out on a council meeting...again.” The Captain of the Royal Guard glared at Sidon. You could only begin to imagine what the poor Zora had to put up with in defense of his prince. Whatever he was dealing with, Bazz made sure the prince felt it though his eyes.

 

Sidon sheepishly turned to you. “I’m sorry (Y/N).” You shake your head. “No, don’t be! You have a lot to do. Ummm, here. You can take this and read it when you have the time.” Sidon took the paper that was offered. With a sad smile, he hurried over to the water and met up with his captain. You waved as both Zora swam upstream.

  
  
  


“So loverboy, what did she give you?” Bazz gave his prince a smug smile complete with an air kiss. Sidon rolled his eyes. “We were writing poems before you came along. She’s a good friend and...besides, she already has someone else.” His heart pulled him down into the river until only the hand that was holding the paper was above water. But, the poem was soon snatched out of his hand. Bazz held up the paper and began to read as the prince re-surfaced. “Bazz, give me that! She wrote it for me!” 

 

Bazz swam a little faster. “Oh, wow...are you sure you aren't more than friends? Don’t tell me the real reason you are there till late at night is because you are actually bedding huahhhh-” Sidon retracted his fist from Bazz’s stomach as he reclaimed his poem. The captain held his stomach and pouted at his prince. “I was only kidding.”

 

“That was going a bit too far. Besides, shouldn’t a captain have better reflexes?” Bazz glared as the two continued to swim up the river. Sidon allowed himself to look over the poem his friend so rudely took the first glance of. 

  
  


In a sea of blue 

 

I look for different colors

 

But, I am drowning.

 

A hint of red, then white lifts me above

 

So that I can see the sun.

  
  


The prince’s cheeks dusted pink. Never has he felt so moved by a few words. The prince sighed at the thought that drifted through his mind. Her lover must get these all the time. Sidon stared blankly at the sheet. However, his eyes caught a few words that were not fully visible and...backwards? He flipped the sheet over to see more words written on the back. The prince’s head tilted to the left in confusion. Was this some part of a story?  _ The writing looks similar to… _

 

_ The Tales of Prince Rilos. Oh no... _

 

Did she not have enough paper that she had to sacrifice a page in a book? Oh goddess, he knew she was not well off, but this… _Did she spend all her money on buying the book series that she didn’t have enough for paper?_ _Next time...Next time I promise I will bring you as much paper as I can carry!_


	5. White Doves

“Where is it? Where is it!” You frantically looked through the mounds of papers on your desk. Out of all the things to lose, OF COURSE it had to be a page from your new book. Papers were thrown off the desk, now gently floating to the floor as leaves would from a tree. Though, this whirlwind was more violent that the summer breeze outside. Goddess, you were just going to enjoy a nice cup of tea out in the sunshine after working so hard to complete this latest project! Last night when your editor showed up unannounced asking for a missing page, you nearly broke down crying. 

 

Now you were really going to cry, because you can’t find it. You wiped away falling tears as you tried looking through your papers once more, desperate and hoping you missed it. “How did this happen?” 

 

_ “Just write it again. After all, a second draft is usually better,”  _ your editor said. That was easy for her to say. You spent months editing and rewriting that particular page. It wasn’t just some traveling page. It wasn’t just a scene of the prince fighting off a random monster. Heck, you would have even preferred losing the last page of the book!

 

Why, out of nearly two hundred pages, did it have to be the confession scene! Five volumes, years of work, and for what? Something that happens to be  _ gone _ now. Ire always wanted to confess her love to the prince. Now, after hundreds of pages, she did it. 

 

And now it’s gone!

 

Something like a love confession can’t be written the same way twice. It has to be organic, come from the heart. Hours and days were logged so that the prose, tone, and even word choice flowed seamlessly. As an author, you wanted to punch your reader in the gut with feelings. Apparently, the universe was the one throwing the punches. Your breath tickled the tips of your lips as you sighed. One night was all you had to fix this. The book was scheduled to print tomorrow. “It’s probably gone for good….” A few more tears were caught on the fallen papers. “I only have one night. If it is gone, then it can’t be helped.” You stood up and took a deep breath in. 

 

You had to do this.

 

It was for the book!

 

With clenched fists and flushed cheeks you nodded. The only way you were to acquire any ideas from your imagination...“It’s time to role play.” You did it once, you can do it again.

  
  
  
  
  
  


The evening sun shone through the window of your workroom that lit up the sack of flour that was currently sitting on your desk. It had a smiley face on it, courtesy of your own artistic abilities. Though, the quality of it wavered with its slouched smile. Nevertheless, it was something to throw your frivolous fantasies at. With a deep breath, you began. “My prince, I...I need to tell you something.”  _ Good so far…. _ Yes! You quickly dipped your ink in the well and set the scene.

 

Ire clasped her hands over her heart, afraid that it would leap out of her chest if not held. A constant shake in her legs threatened to send her to the floor. Even the cicadas with their droning sound seemed to mock her feelings. But, she had to. With the tale that the prince had told her, he almost returned not on a horse, but in a casket. What if this was the Hylia’s way of telling her that time was short. That it needed to be taken seriously for those brave enough to hold it. She wasn’t a brave girl, she knew. But, the prince gave her strength. Rilos could be called a magician for the amount of miracles he performed. She was able to beat a raider with only a broom. He taught her to hunt her first rabbit and how to speak up when needed. And now, with his eyes fully focused on her, she had to speak. 

 

She need not rely on the strength he gave her, but her own, cultivated strength. Gods help her, this is it. “My prince I...I need to tell you something.”

  
  
  


You quickly wrote down the songs of prose and paragraph on the yellowed paper below. When finished, you leaned back to admire the splendid piece of dialogue you have crafted. “This is good. Alright, next part…” You turned back to your sad sack of flower under the windowsill. It began to lean to one side, nearly confused as to why you were talking to it. With half a frown, you walked over to it and began to straighten it up. Now, fully fluffed and poised, just like to whom it was representing, you continued.  _ Hands together, blush across my cheeks… _ In your mind’s eye, that sack of flour soon turned into something more handsome. Someone worthy of a confession...A Zora, in fact. Your heart frantically beat in your chest. “We have known each other for some time now and...I...I need to tell you that...I love you.”  _ Perfect… now to look shyly up at _ -

 

You froze as the actual prince looked at you through the other side of the glass. Tears filled your eyes, you covered your mouth in a desperate attempt to shove all those words back in your mouth. Your heart dropped. You felt nauseous. How could this happen?

 

Sidon’s shocked expression slowly turned into a gentle, understanding smile. Though slightly muffled, you could still hear his words. “I must say, every day I turn more envious of your lover. I have never seen more honest eyes in my life. I...I do apologize for coming at a bad time though. I just...I have these papers, you see. I had no idea that you didn’t have enough and had to tear a page out just to humor me in writing poems. So I wanted to make sure you had enough in case we continue our writing adventure.”

 

You blinked a few times to get the tears out of your eyes before unlocking the window and opening it up. “S...Sidon-” *hiccup* “-what are you talking about? I have p- plenty of paper.” Sidon cocked his head slightly to the side. “Then, my fairy, why is there writing from  _ The Tales of Prince Rilos _ on the back side? Although, I must say I haven't seen this scene yet. Did another volume come out without me noticing?”

 

Oh sweet merciful Hylia…

 

The prince held up the page for you to look at, then back down to read. His eyes moved from left to right, following the words on the page. Before you could even think, words of desperation fell out of your mouth. “Stop reading it!” Sidon sharply looked up. “I...I didn’t mean any offence, I just am confused at this scene. Here, take it. I’m so sorry.” The paper nearly threatened to tear when you snatched it out of the prince’s hand. Sidon’s eyes flashed wide, startled at the sudden abrasiveness of your vigor.

 

You swallowed hard. How were you going to get out of this one? Thoughts and a million excuses passed through your filter. Yet, only one seemed plausible. You dreaded the excuse you came up with...but it had to be done. “I...I actually wrote it. I love the series so much that I...starting writing what I want to happen.”  _ Not a complete lie.  _ “That’s also why I was doing that confession...I wanted to get a real feeling of it.”

 

The prince’s shoulders dipped down. Not out of sadness but...relief? “I’m happy to hear it. T..that you have enough paper. And, you didn’t damage your set of books. Yes. I am most glad.” He quickly ducked out of sight before coming back to the windowsill with a stack of paper. “Please, accept these. I know now that you have enough, but you could always use a little more, right?” Your eyes widened upon seeing the finely stacked paper. Never have you seen such a beautiful sight. It surely would cost a book’s royalties to get so much. Not to mention the quality of it. It was white... _ white _ ! Have you ever seen white writing paper? Yours was mostly the color of bark or sand. Normally, white paper was reserved for books or important documents. The rich do live in a different realm, don’t they?

 

You placed your small hand over his. “Sidon, I can’t accept this. I would feel awful accepting something so valuable.” The reaction you received upon finishing your sentence was...unexpected. 

 

The prince tilted his head to the side. “You must be joking. It is simply paper! There is no dent in my purse, I assure you.” Wind blew against your face. It might as well blown through your empty head as well. Your mind was hollow of all thoughts, void of any reasoning, blank as the sheets stacked in front of you.

 

_ This man has no concept of how normal people live. _

 

Sidon’s eyes lingered over your face, surveying what he could as to draw a conclusion. The hand that was dropped to his side soon covered the top of your own in a comforting gesture. “I didn’t mean to overwhelm you, (Y/N). And I must apologize if I seem out of touch with the struggles of the common Hylian. I never meant to upset you or place you in a debt of gratitude. Hylia above, I’m such a fool.”

 

The small blush across his cheeks gave you pause. Sidon was always such a kind man, even to his downfall. A wave of embarrassment overcame you.  _ Why did I make such a big deal out of this? _ “Thank you, Sidon. I accept your humble bribery for tea and company.” His lips parted into a smile, showing off those razor teeth that sent just the right amount of fear and arousal into your belly. Time seemed to slow. His hands were warm and welcoming. The breeze cooled off the rest of the heat off your cheeks. The sun reflected ever so slightly off of his crimson scales. Golden eyes smiled so sweetly at you. This moment was painting perfect.

 

A swell of longing tugged at your heartstrings. Those forbidden feelings you have shoved to the very bottom of your soul threatened to burst from your throat. It was on the tip of your tongue. Those three words you promised you would never say all those nights ago when you first met. The result creating five volumes of what would never happen, what shouldn’t happen. Calling him a prince, insisting on that one rule alone kept these feelings in check. However, getting too familiar with him sent a whole cascade of consequences and compromising situations that threatened to tear you apart.

 

Then why were you ready to throw that away?

 

Why did you not care about breaking down this wall?

 

How did Sidon make you feel so reassured in this feeling?

 

The wind blew forward, fluttering your hair out of your face. And too, the papers off the windowsill. The fluttering white parchment snapped you back into reality. Sidon must have too as both of your hands prioritized gathering the flying pages over holding each other. The papers created almost a fog inside your room. Page after page you collected in midair to haphazardly put in a pile between your arm and chest. The whole scene would be beautiful if not for the value of the fluttering white doves. 

 

At last. Most of the papers were in your arm as you gathered the rest from the ground. Even through this spectacle, touching the beautiful paper between your thumb and fingers sent a chill right down your spine. It was gold. Beautiful white gold was sitting between your fingers. Right then and there it was decided that this would only be used for the utmost euphoric of writings. 

 

Sidon placed his stack that blew outside on top of your desk. His long arms helped him through the window sill. You placed yours on top of his and smiled up at him. That Zora returned the gesture with extra sweetness. With a small chuckle you shook your head. “Would you like to come in for some tea?” 

 

Sidon nodded, “Most definitely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your patience in this next chapter. Since it has been so long, I feel I owe you all an explanation.
> 
> My husband is wanting to divorce me and that has put a lot of stress on my life. As such, I haven't felt an urge to write about romance as of late. I do apologize for the months between chapters, but I am prioritizing my mental health over writing. I hope you understand.


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